Baseball practice apparatus



1950 I c. J. BENNETT ET AL 2,527,906 BASEBALL PRACTICE APPARATUS FiledApril 19, 1948 644005 I 67/2/5775 PETE/Q 1 61/00 FEE, d2

Patented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED BASEBALL PRACTICE APPARATUS Charles J.Bennett, Claude T. Christie, and

Peter J. Cuddyre, Jr., Oakland, Calif.

Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,926

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pparatus by means of which training in theperfection of striking swings, with implements such as baseball bats,may be achieved.

An object of the invention is to provide, in apparatus of the characterdescribed, separate objects, one of which may be a principal target,which respectively come within the purview of the user, regardless ofwhich object may be the subject of direct gaze, so as to approximatedistractions as exist under actual playing conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the naturereferred to in which the user may selectively locate the, visibleobjects, including the principal target to suit his individualrequirements or to provide an arrangement most conducive to thecorrection of a faulty swing or the improvement of swing rhythm and toimprove the ability to make the target object and the swing implement,such as the bat, meet properly in the course of the swinging stroke.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the classdescribed in which the target and other associated objects arereproduced in their full sizes and are disposed as encountered underactual game conditions so as to afford the user exercise of hisfaculties of visual depth perception and to perfect his accuracy inproperly striking the target element with the bat.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which forming part ofthe specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations inthe showing made by the said drawings and descriptions may be adoptedwithin the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the apparatus of our invention set upfor use.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the base struc- I,

apparent to those skilled in the art as the. de-

9 prefer to construct of two or more sections I2 0 other clamping devicefor securing adjacent sec- 35 is illustrated in the drawing accompanyingand scription proceeds that the principle may be applied to other sportsand games as well. I

We provide a supporting base structure 6 preferably of rectangular formand of an equivalent width and length to approximate the correspondingdimensions of the regulation home plate used in the game of baseball,the exact form of the aforesaid home plate being designated on the uppersurface of the base structure 6 by an area 1 delineated in white paintthe remaining areas 8 of the upper surface being painted green or buffto simulate the grass or dirt areas found around home plate on theaverage baseball diamond. The base structure may be of solid or cellularconstruction, being in either case preferably composed of wood, andpossessed of sufficient weight to'give the structure a desired degree ofpositional stability when placed upon the ground or other supportingsurface such as a gymnasium floor. Such weight may be afforded in thebase structure by making the latter sufiiciently thick vertically or, inthe case of a hollow structure, by adding sand or other weightymaterialv to the cells within the structure.

In the base structure 6 we provide a plurality of relatively dispersed,axially vertical sockets 9 in a selected one of which may be received anupwardly extending standard II which may be a unitary length of rod ortubing but which we of tubing or axially bored rod sized to permit thetelescopic engagement of adjacent sections so as to form an axiallyextended and aligned unit. Preferably, the respective sections aresnugly interchangeable with each other andare suitably limited as tothedegree of such engagement but it is also within the scope of theinvention to provide, in each outermost member at the respective joints,a manually operable set-screw or tions of the standard together againstrelative separation and to establish lateral rigidity between thesections at the joints. The top end of the uppermost section I2 isadapted to telescopically engage the tubular stem member [3 of a targetsupport having an integral cupshaped head l4 associated therewitharranged to receive and support a free target piece l6 here shown as aspherical body sized and ornamented to represent a regulation baseball.It is preferred that the target support be constructed ofrubher or othersoft material which will not damage a bat or other implement when struckthereby and it is also preferred that the target piece be constructed ofknitted or otherwise wadded soft textile material so that in the eventthat the target piece is forcibly projected against a person or object,as the result of being struck by a hat or other game implement, injurywill not be inflicted on the person or object by the target piece. Thusthe apparatus may be safely used indoors without the danger of thetarget piece causing destructive damage.

The design and arrangement of the parts in the baseball practiceapparatus illustrated are such that the user, in regulating the heightof the standard I I and placing the latter in any of the base structuresockets 9, may position the ball or target :piece l5 as desired inrelation to the area 1 designating home plate and also in relation tothe regulation strike zone above the home plate as indicated by thedot-dash rectangle ll of Figure 1. Thus a batter who, under actual gameconditions, may be experiencing difficulty in properly hitting pitchesdelivered in certain areas of the strike zone or who may be desirous ofcorrecting or improving swing rhythm or timing may, by concentratedpractice with the apparatus of our invention, materially overcome hisfaults or deficiencies and measurably improve his accuracy and hittingability. Such practice consists of nothing more than taking a properstance adjacent the home plate area 7 of the base and, with hisregulation bat, taking successive swings at the target piece it which hehas previously positioned in the area in which he has the greatesttrouble in properly meeting the ball with the bat. A feature ofparticular value lies in the fact that the ball 16 and the home plate Ieach stand out prominently in the players normal field of visionregardless of which object may be the subject of the players directgaze. This results in a close approximation of the visual field as itexists under actual game conditions and any distraction which the homeplate image might cause and which might adversely affect timing oraccuracy in the batter's swing will become apparent to him so that hemay take proper measures or train himself to overcome the chiliculty.

We have also provided means whereby the target piece l6 may bepositioned in at a selected point in a zone outside of the area directlyabove the home plate area I so that a batter who may be desirous ofdeveloping the ability to meet the ball at a point ahead of home platemay derive beneficial practice by the use of the apparatus. As shown, weprovide an auxiliary base structure l8 of a width and heightcorresponding to a side of the main base structure 6 which carries a rodl9 slidably engaged in a guide recess formed in a latter base structureso that the two sections may be brought together in aligned relationshipas shown in Figure 1. The auxiliary structure 28 has therein a pluralityof socket apertures 2! in which the standard I I may be placed forsupport. As shown in Figure 2, the structure 38 may be positioned inadvance of the base section bearing the designation of home plate and byengaging the standard H in a selected one of the sockets 2|, the targetball It may be positioned as far in front of home plate as desiredapproximately registering with the paths of inside, outside or directlycentered pitches. Thus the batter may avail himself of practice in swingtiming or sighting to meet the ball ahead of the plate so as to pull theball toward left or leftcenter fields. Such a set-up is valuable incorrecting the faults of a batter who habitually pushes the ball towardright field and which is indicative of tardiness in the swing.

The apparatus of our invention is capable of being dissembled andarranged in compact form so as to provide a readily portable andspaceconserving unit. As shown in Figure 3, the main base structure 6 isprovided with relatively spaced storage recesses 22 formed therein whichpreferably parallel the guide recess for the rod l9 and which open atthe vertical face of the structure 6 over which the base section I8 lieswhen the latter is brought into engagement with the former. One of therecesses 22 is sized to completely receive one of the standard sections12 while the other recess 22 is diametrically enlarged to receive a pairof relatively telescoped sections l2 and is further provided with acounter-recess 23 for receiving the clamping screw 24 of the outersection. When the standard sections are placed within the recesses 22,the base sections 6 and I 8 are brought together in abuttingrelationship and secured by suitable releasable catches 26 bridging theabutment interstice. A carrying handle 2'! secured preferably to thesection 6 provides means for affording ready portability of thecollapsed and interpacked unit as shown in Figure 3.

The device of our invention, as will be evident to those skilled in theart, is adapted to other games other than baseball wherein a ball may bestruck by an implement such as a bat as, for instance, the game oftennis or the like in which the player is desirous of perfecting timing,swing precision or other characteristics of actual game play. Theapparatus is also designed for use outdoors on a baseball or other fieldor indoors in the home, clubroom or gymnasium.

We claim:

1. A baseball game apparatus for perfecting game swinging strokes with amanually controlled striking implement, comprising a base having upper,bottom and side faces, said base having designated on part of its upperface an area representing home plate, a vertically adjustable standarddetachably connected with and rising from said base to terminate in azone between the users knees and shoulders, a head piece carried by saidstandard having a recess therein for receiving and supporting a baseballin said zone, and a plurality of recesses in the upper face of said basewithin and in front of the home plate area, said recesses providingconnecting means with a selected one of which said baseball standard maybe connected to said base for variably positioning said baseballrelative to v said home plate.

2. A baseball game apparatus for perfecting game swinging strokes with amanually controlled striking implement comprising a base having twoportions with upper, bottom and side faces, one portion being adjustablysecured tothe other portion for relative lateral movement thereof, saidother portion having designated on its upper face an area representinghome plate, a standard detachably connected with and rising from saidbase to terminate in a zone between the user's knees and shoulders, ahead piece carried by said standard having a recess therein forreceiving and supporting a baseball in said zone, and a plurality ofrecesses in the upper face of both portions of said base with a selectedone of which said standard may be connected for variably positioningsaid standard relative to the home plate area thus enabling the user toassume a stance along the side faces of said base equivalent tothatassumed in actual game play.

3. A baseball game apparatus for perfecting game swinging with amanually controlled striking im lement, comprising a base including twomembers, one of said members having upper, bottom and side faces andhaving provided on the upper face thereof an area representing homeplate, means connecting said member to the other of said base membersfor relative lateral adjustment thereof, standard receiving andsupporting means on said other member, a vertically adjustable standardmounted on said supporting means and rising from said other member, ahead piece carried by said standard for receiving and supporting abaseball and vertically movable with the standard for positioning theball thereon in substantially any selected elevation between the usersknees and shoulders.

4. A baseball game apparatus for perfecting game swinging strokes with amanually controlled striking implement comprising a base having twoportions with upper, bottom and side faces, one portion havingdesignated on its upper face an area representing home plate, the otherportion being adjustably secured in front of said area to the oneportion for relative lateral movement thereof, a standard detachablyconnected with and rising from said base to terminate in a zone betweenthe users knees and shoulders, a head piece carried by said standardhaving a recess therein for receiving and supporting a baseball in saidzone, and a plurality of recesses in the upper face of said otherportion and in the upper face of said one portion within the home platearea with a selected one of which said standard may be connected forvariably positioning said standard in front of or within the home platearea whereby the baseball is moved relative to said plate thus enablingthe user to assume a stance along the side faces of said base equivalentto that assumed in actual game play.

5. A baseball game apparatus for perfecting game swinging strokes with amanually controlled striking implement, comprising a base having upper,bottom and side faces, said base having designated on its upper face anarea representing home plate, a vertical standard detachably connectedwith and rising from said base to terminate in a zone between the usersknees and shoulders, the upper end of said standard having means forreceiving and supporting a baseball in said zone, and a plurality ofrecesses in the upper face of said base within the home plate area, saidrecesses providing connecting means with a selected one of which saidbaseball standard may be connected to said base for variably positioningsaid baseball relative to said home plate.

CHARLES J. BENNETT.

CLAUDE T. CHRIS-TIE.

PETER J. CUDDYRE, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Number Name Date 1,242,046 Rodgers Oct. 2, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 240,652 Great Britain Oct. 8, 1925

